MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has given Tokyo Olympics-bound weightlifter Elreen Ando an added assistance worth around P300,000 to help her training in Cebu.
“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa PSC sa tulong, malaking training po ito sa training ko dito sa Cebu,” said Ando, who was given a continental quota slot by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) less than a week back.
The assistance covers training uniform, vitamins, food, equipment as well as her additional allowance outside of what she received monthly as a stipend for national team members.
PSC commissioner Ramon Fernandez said University of Cebu president Atty. Augusto Go has already pitched in to provide help in terms of board and lodging and use of its training facilities.
“We told her (Ando) if she needs anything, just tell us and we will act on it fast,” said Fernandez.
The basketball legend also said they have also sent assistance to 21 other locally based weightlifters including Vanessa Sarno and Kristel Macrohon, who delivered a gold and a bronze in the Asian Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last April.
The 22-year-old Ando is the second weightlifter in the Philippine team seeing action in the quadrennial event in July with the other one being 2016 Rio Games silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz.
Also bound for Tokyo are pole-vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Caloy Yulo, boxers Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, rower Cris Nievarez, jin Kurt Barbosa and skateboarder Margie Didal.